Brick-cleaning machine



A. I. HARBISON.

BRICK CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.14, 1919.

A. J. HARBISON. Y

BRICK CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I4, I9I9.

L 1,332,038. Peeented Feb. 24,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A.11 HARBISON.

BRICK CLEANIING MACHINE. APPLICATION H11-:D 111 11.14,1919.

1,332,038. Pana Feb. 24, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

f ANDREW J. HAnBIsoN, er DREXEL, MISSOURI.

4:alIGII-oraliNING MACHINE.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ANDREW J, Hannrsom a citizen of the vUnited States, residing at Drexel, in the county of Cass and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Brick-Cleaning Mw' chines, of which the `folloufing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements lin brick cleanlng machines.

' The Yobject of my invention is to provide a. machine which will quickly, cheaply and efficiently clean old brick.

A further A.object of-my inventionis to provide a novel automatic brick cleaning machine, which is simple in construction, Vwhich can be cheaply made, which is durable and not lliable to get out of order, and which may be operated to advantage by vunskilled labor.

The ,novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings', which illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention, -l

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved brick cleaninginachine;

Fig. 2 isa longitudinal verticalsectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on the fline 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fing. 4 is a vertical sectionalview on the line ,4 1 of Fig. l. l l

Fig. 5 is a veitical sectional view enthev .line f of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a plan view, reduced, of a portion of the machine, some of the parts being omitted.;

Fig. 7 is a cross section, reduced, on the lineB-Bof Fig. 1, some of the parts being omitted.v A

.Similar reference characters designate similar parts in the different views.

The machine vis preferably vprovidedwith v a base comprising .a platform 1 Vmounted in an eleva-ted position upon vertical supportingr Vmembers 2.

Mounted yonthe platform is ,a right-an- ,Q'led plate havingr a horizontal portion provided with a vertical hole .4, and a vert-ical portion 5 provided `with a transverse hole ltnrnted on :the platform 1in front of the vertical platen. `If-hatis to the rightlofsaid plate, as viewed in Figs. 1 end 2, Ais' ,a sup- .porting ,compi-*ism IW@ speematidn of Letrersratent.

`Patented reb. 24, 1920.

application flieg Aprn 14, 1919. serial No. 290,052.

lsta.ndards 7 which are connected by a horizontal portion'S comprising la table, l,upon which the bricks to be cleaned areautomatically deposited, as hereinafter' described, preparatory to being` forced'through'the hole 6 for the purpose ofbeing cleaned -at their unner andlowerfsides and ends. v`

The bricks after being;` forced through the i hole 6 are then forced downwardly through the hole 4, and a hole `9 in the platform 1 forthe purpose of being cleaned kat their longitudinal edges.

vFor forcing @habria-S from the table s through the hole 6,1 nrovide a horizontal longitudinally movable plunger y10, which is adapted to rest unon a horizontal roller '11 revolublv mounted in the standards 7.

Forv reciprocating the plunger 1 0, it has lpivoted to its front end, .the rear end of a connecting bar 12, which is pivotedto a'hori:

Vzontal crank pin 13 the ends of which are rigidly secured in two disks '111, which are respectiyelvrigidly secured to twohorizontalshafts 15 and,16..which are respectively rotatably mounted in bearings 17 and 18 mounted' on the platform 1. The shaft 16 has rigidly secured to Vit .a pulley' wheel 19, Fig.' 1, which may be rotated by a suitable driving belt not shown. I v

For forcing the bricks downwardlv through the hOle 4, Iiprovide an lupright plunfofer 20,A which is reciprocated b v means of a @bell crank lever havin!! one arm 21 piv- Voted bya transverse pin 22 to the upper end of the plunger 20. the other armf23 of the bell crank lever beine; pivoted by a horizon-4 tal pin 24 mountedin a vertical hole 25 in the nlunsrer 10. f

The bell crank lever is pivoted at `its angle lbv a horizontal pin 26 `,which has its ends resnectively sunported in 'the standards f 7 For the purpose of' cleaning the loi'ver -side of each brick,A there is secured to the forward side of the nlatefa vertical plate 27, the upper edne of which is slightlv above the lower edge of thehole 6. The plate' 27 has 'secured to its forward side a U-shaned plate` havinor forwardlv extending* arms 28, the upper edfres of which curve unwa'rdlv and rearwardly for the purpose of cutting the mortar on the lower side of each brick, and for centering the brick with reference to the opening 6. f i

` For cleaning lthe 'upper side vof the brick, I previa@ reptiel plate .2.9 vwhih is .Slidable vertically on the front side of the plate 5, and which has secured to its forward side a U-shapedplate having' two forwardly extending arms 31 which curve downwardly and rearwardly for-the purpose of cutting the mortar and centering the brick with reference to the hole 6. The platesv29 and 30` are provided each with twovertical slots 32, Fig. 3 through which extend respectively two horizontal bolts 33 provided with nuts 34 for retaining the plate y29 against the plate 5.

Two levers 35 are pivoted to the forward 'A side ofthe platev5 by horizontal bolts 36 respectively and bear attheir inner ends against the upperedge of the plate 29. The outer ends of the levers 35 are supported respectively by two vertical coil springs 37, which are respectively supported by two brackets 3 8 secured to the front side of the plate 5; The

plate 29 scrapes the mortar off from the top -side of each brick as it is forced through thehole6 by theplungerlO. In case of a brick being thicker than normal. the. plate 29 and the plate 3 0 will be forced upwardly against the pressure of the springs 37. Y

Secured to the forward side of the plate 5 at opposite sides of the hole 6 are two plates 39 and 40 provided respectively with (forwardly extending arms4l and 42, which are adapted to cut the mortar on `the ends of the bricks and to center said ends with respect-to the hole 6.`

For `scraping the two longitudinal edges of each-'brickas it is forced downwardly through the holes 4y and 9, after passing through the hole 6,1 provide two horizontal Aplates 43 and 44, disposed respectively at the forward and rear side ofthe hole 4 and pro- Ljecting respectively over the adjacent longitudinaledges of saidhole.

The plate 43 is rigidly secured to the top of Vtheplate 3'by bolts 45 which extend *throughv a Ushaped plate 46 having two upwardly extending arms 47, which curve upwardlyV and forwardly for cuttinggthe mortar on-the adjacent forward edge of the brick` v i `T he plate 44 is longitudinally slidable toward and from the hole 4 and is held in position on the plate 3 by means of `two boltsv `48 which extendxrespectively through two slots 49, provided in the plate 44 and in a U-shaped plate 50, which is-rigidly secured lto'the plate 44 .and which ,is providedv with two upwardly extending arms 51, vthe forward-edges of which curve upwardly and rearwardly and which cut .the mortar on the adjacent edge ofthe brick, andy serve with the4 arms 47 to guidezthe brick through the hole 4.

The plate 44L and with it the plate 50 are normally yieldingly forced toward', the hole 4 byl means of two levers 52, which are pivoted on vertical pivot pins 53 respectively, mounted ill the plate 3. The levers 52 have of the platform: 1.

their outer ends bearing against the rear yedges of the plates 44 and 50, and their inner ends are respectively connected to one set of ends of two coil springs 54, which are respectively secured at their other set of *ends to two pins 55, mounted vertically `in theV plate 3.

If a brick which is wider than the normal width is forced downwardly by the plunger 2O throughthe Ahole 4, the `pla-tes 44 and 50 are .forced rearwardly against they tension of the springs 54. Y Y

The plunger 20 near .its lower end is attached to the forward end of a flat spring 56, whichV extends forwardly and rearwardly andv has its rear'end rigidly secured to a block 57 mounted'on theV platform l.

. The spring 56 serves to guide the lowerendl of the plunger 20.

or automatically` and consecutively feed- `ing bricks uponv the table 8, while. the plunger 10 is in the retractedposition shown in Figs 1n and2 in Vsolid lines, there is providedy -an endless chain belt 58, Figs. 1,13.

and 5, which is preferablyV disposed at right angles to the path ofmovement of the plunger .10, and which is mounted fon two sprocketwheels 59 and 60, which arerespectively rigidly securedv to ,two horizontal shafts 61'and 62 fwhich areY respectively mounted in Vtwo sets of bearings 63Vand 64 I @mounted on the platform Secured at intervals to the'belt'58 are -conveyer blades 65 which are adapted to..` propel bricks 66, one of which is Vshown in solid lines and one in 'dotted lines yin Fig. 1

lplates 68 and 69, which, for. themost part,l

are disposed parallel witlithe chain 58,' and which are disposed respectivelyV at'opposite sides'of said chain,` as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

The ends'of the springs v68 and 69. which v are distant from thetable 8k are rigidly fas- Ytened to .the channel supp ort"67 b v vertical Vpins 70. The ends ofthe springs68 and 6 9 whichare adjacent to the table 8 are free soas to permit the Vsprings tobe flexed laterally.

which extends forwardly and4 is rotatably y mounted adjacent toits forwardend'ina rigidlyl to Vthe'. top

The chain 58 driven by the shaft762, .V

bearing V71. which is mounted upon theplatV 'form 1,fF igs. 1 and 4. Secured rigidly to Vthe forward end ofthe shaft 62 is a bevel gear whee1`72, which is engagedV once dur- 13o ing eachvrevolution of the disk 14 adjacent thereto by an arcuate roW of gear teeth 7 3 on the outer side of said disk. The'disposi-` the teeth 73 will begin engagement with the bevel gear wheel 72, thereby rotating the latter andthe shaft 62 and driving the belt 58 in a direction such that the bricks 66 will be advanced and the foremost brick will be deposited upon the table 8 in front of the i opening G. The number of teeth 7 3 is such' that during each revolution of the disk 14 having the teeth 73, the travel of the belt 58 will cause a brick to be deposited `upon the' table 8.

When the brick has been deposited upon` the table 8 in front ofthe opening 6, the plunger l0 will have started on its forward movement and will engage the front edge f of the brick and force the brick between the scraping plates 27 and 29 and through the hole 6. The plates 27 and 29 will scrape the mortar olf from the lower and upper sides ofthe brick, the arms 28, 31, 4l and 42. cutting into the mortar and serving to properly guide the brick between the scraping plates 27 and 29.

After the brick has passed through the hole 6, it is forced between two spring plates 74 which are secured at their forward ends to the rear sideof the plate 5, and which eX- tend rearwardly from `said. plate over the hole 4 and at opposite sides respectively of the plunger 20. The springs v74 are sufficiently strong to enable them to support the brick until the plunger '2O descends and forces it through the hole 4, which operation takes place .as the plunger 10 is being retracted. K

When the brick passes through the hole 4, it has its forward and rear edges scraped by the plates 43 and 44. The ends -of the brick are scraped clear of mortar by the Vplates 39 and 40 when the brick is passing between said plates and through the hole 6. After the brick has passed through the holes 4 and 9 its sides and edges will be cleaned of mortar and it will be ready to use. The bricks will be removed from below the platform l after being cleaned so as not to obstruct the cleaning operation on the bricks which follow.

What I claim is p Y l. In a brick cleaning machine, the combination `with two scraping devices, of means for consecutively forcing` bricks between said devices, an endless belt for consecutively depositing bricks into va position in which said forcing means can force the bricks between said devices, and means for intermittently driving said belt.

2. In a brick cleaning machine, a combination with two devices for respectively scraping mortar from opposite surfaces of the brick, of a reciprocative plunger for forcing bricks consecutively between said devices, anendless belt having means for consecutively depositing the bricks into a position in which the plunger can force the bricks between said devices, and joint means for driving said belt and reciprocating said plunger. 'y Y 3.- In a brick cleaning machine, the combination with means for cleaning mortar from the surface of a brick, including a ren ciprocative plunger for forcing the brick into operative relationship with said cleaning means, of a belt having means for consecutively feeding bricks into a position beand means for reciprocating saidplunger and for intermittently driving said belt at such times as the plunger is in the retracted position. 2

4. In a brick cleaning machine, the combination with means for removing mortar from the surfaces of a brick, of an endless belt having means for consecutively feeding bricks into operative relationship with said mortar removing means, and means for invtermittently operating said belt.

5. In a brick cleaning machine, means for scraping mortar from the surfaces 'of a brick, including two lplungers for consecutively forcing bricks into operative relation# ship with said scraping means, a rotary driv fing member, an endless belt having means for consecutively feeding bricks into operativerelationship with said forcing means, and means actuated by said driving member for driving the belt and for operating said forcing means.

6. In a brick cleaning machine, means for removing mortar from a brick, including a scraping device and a reciprocative plunger for forcing the brick into operative relationship with the scraping device, a belt having means for feeding bricks into a position between the plunger and said scraping device, a rotary member, means actuated by the rotary member for reciprocating said plunger, a rotary shaft, means actuated by said shaft for driving said belt, the rotary member having a segmental arcuate row of teeth, and argear wheel meshing with said teeth and .adapted for intermittent engagement therewith and vsecured toand rotatable with said shaft.

In, testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. Y

ANDREW J. HARRISON.

Vtween said plunger and said cleaning means, 

